94 HYMENOPTERA. 



(Achillea millefolium). Two bees of great rarity were taken 

 on this line of coast, about two miles from Sidmouth, a sin- 

 gle example of each; one being Nomada armata, of which 

 only a dozen specimens are to be found hi the united collections 

 of Hymenoptera with which I am unacquainted ; the other 

 was Stelis octomaculata (Frontispiece, fig. 3). Of this ex- 

 tremely rare bee, two examples are in the collection of the 

 late Mr. Walcott of Bristol, and two in my own, one a male ; 

 the latter I bred from a nest of Osmia leucomelana con- 

 structed in a bramble stick from Hampshire, obtained 

 upwards of twenty years ago; the Osmia I failed to obtain 

 at Sidmouth. 



The cliffs to the east of Sidmouth appear to be the best 

 locality in the neighbourhood for Lepidoptera; I mention 

 this for the information of others who direct their attention 

 to that order; and I do so, not as the result of my own 

 observation alone, but as the result of the experience of two 

 gentlemen who were collecting around Sidmouth last Au- 

 o-ust. About two miles and a-half east of the town, is a gap 

 in the cliffs ; it is situated at the bottom of a valley, and has 

 on its eastern side a rippling stream that runs down on to tlie 

 beach; in this gap we found the Luiworth Skipper, Pampldla 

 Actceon; numerous specimens of which were taken by the 

 gentlemen alluded to above; TJiecla hetulce also occurs here, 

 and I may observe, that around Sidmouth I observed several 

 of the commoner species of butterflies, in numbers greatly 

 exceeding anything of which I had even imagined the possi- 

 bility of their occurrence. 



Leaving the beautiful line of coast between Sidmouth and 

 Seaton, the lovely valleys, and the splendid views from Sal- 

 combe Hill, the Hymenopterist will do well to direct his 

 steps towards High Peak on the west of the town ; having 

 reached that elevation, he will be glad to rest himself and to 



